Sectional boat cover assembly



Feb. 11, 1958 J. A. L. SHURON 2,822,918

SECTIONAL BOAT COVER ASSEMBLY Filed May 25, l956 2 Sheets-heet l uvmvron JOHN A.| .$HURON ATTORNEYS United States Patent f 3 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to boat storage and in particular is concerned with a cover assembly which may be readily applied to a boat and provide for the assemblage of a number of boats to land storage.

In practicing the invention, plates of metal, wood or plastic material are formed into sections, which are sulficiently wide to extend across a boat and sufiiciently narroW to be readily handled, are arranged to abut or overlap and provide a leak proof cover for the entire area of a boat. For example, five or six sections of corrugated plates would be used to cover a boat of approximately 30 feet in length. Each section is preferably provided with suitably arranged reenforcing struts to provide rigidity to each section and additionally the sections are arranged to be interlocked with each other. The assembled sections are then secured to a boat supporting base or cradle to provide a unitary assembly which may be moved about by mechanical power means and which permits stacking of the assemblies.

An object of the invention is to provide a cover which may be assembled with a minimum of manpower.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cover arrangement which permits a number of boats to be stacked in a confined area.

Still another object is to provide a cover assembly which minimizes damage to a boat by natural elements.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the annexed drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a boat showing the sections formed into a cover and secured to a boat cradle;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the cover assembly of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a portion of the cover assembly of Fig. 1.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the usual boat cradle is shown and comprises a base having angle braces 11 and 12 which are spaced lengthwise of the base to support a boat B and to prevent its physical contact with the ground surface. The keel of the boat is indicated at 13 and is secured in the space 14 between the ends of adjacent brackets 12. The keel of small boats is in the form of a longitudinal central rib in the bottom of the boat which supports the bow, stern and boat sides. The keel of this invention is arranged to also support the cover structure.

The boat cover 15 is formed of similar sections which are indicated at 16 and shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The cover is arranged to extend beyond the bow, stern and gunwales as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but is supported 2,822,918 Patented Feb. 11, 1958 in a manner to prevent physical contact with these parts and is also arranged to be secured to the boat cradle to provide therewith a unitary assembly.

The cover supporting elements comprise stanchions 20 which have their lower ends '21 positioned on or secured to the keel 13 and their upper ends 22 disposed in a horizontal plane above the gunwales or top rails 23 of the boat. Transverse braces 24 are received by the upper ends of the stanchions and extend across the boat with their outer end portions positioned above the gunwales or top rails 23 of the boat and are preferably secured to the stanchions by suitable connecting means, not shown. The braces 24 provide narrow spaces 25' with the gunwales or top rails 23 which may be packed with suitable material'if desired or necessary. Stringers 26 are mounted on the braces 24 and extend the full length of the boat and having their ends disposed beyond the bow and stem of the boat while the sections 16 are laid on the stringers 26 and preferably having their adjacent ends arranged in overlapping relation. The weight of the cover sections and supporting structure is thus carried by the keel 13 of the boat. Adjacent sections 16 are provided with eye bolts 30 positioned, preferably near each end of each section, and the sections are suitably interlocked to provide an assembled cover by means of flexible connecting means 32 which are fixed to eye bolts 31 secured to the cradle structure. 7

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the cover sections 16 are corrugated and are secured to a frame 35 including suitably disposed strengthening ribs shown generally at 36. The sections are provided with end extensions 37 which, when the sections are aligned on the stringers 26, are arranged in overlapping relationship; and when interlocked, provide a substantially leak proof and unitary cover which is readily disassembled.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an open boat having a longitudinal keel supporting the bow, stern, and boat sides to pro vide a boat enclosure having opposed gunwales or top rails and a cover assembly for the boat which comprises a plurality of stanchions supported at their lower ends by the keel and being spaced longitudinally thereof, a transverse brace supported by the upper ends of the stanchions, each brace having opposed end portions with one end portion positioned immediately above one gunwale or top rail and its other end portion positioned immediately above the other gunwale or top rail, the one end portions of the braces providing a first group and other end portions providing a second group, a first longitudinal stringer supported by the first group of end portions and a second longitudinal stringer supported by the second group of end portions, a plurality of cover sections supported at their side edges by said stringers, said sections having adjacent end portions disposed in contacting relation and means for interlocking said sec tions together to provide a unitary cover for the boat.

2. In combination, an open boat having a longitudinal keel supporting the bow, stern, and boat sides to provide a boat enclosure having opposed gunwales or top rails and a cover assembly for the boat which comprises a plurality of stanchions supported at their lower ends by the keel and being spaced longitudinally thereof, a transverse brace supported by the upper ends of the stanchions, each brace having opposed end portions with one end portion positioned immediately above one gunwale or top rail and its other end portion positioned immediately above the Ca other gunwale or top rail, the one end portions of the braces providing a first group and other end portions providing a second group, a first longitudinal stringer supported by the first group of end portions and a second longitudinal stringer supported by the second group of end portions, a plurality of corrugated cover sections supported at their side edges by said stringers, said sections having adjacent end portions disposed in, overlapping relation and means for interlocking said sections together to provide a unitary cover for the boat.

3. In combination, an open boat having a longitudinal keel supporting the bow, stern, and boat sides to provide a boat enclosure having opposed gunwales or top rails and a cover assembly for the boat which comprises a plurality of stanchions supported at their lower ends by the keel and being spaced longitudinally thereof, a transverse brace supported by'the upper ends of the stanchions, each brace having opposed end portions with one end portion positioned immediately above one gunwale or top rail and its other end portion positioned immediately above the other gunwale or top rail, the one end portions of the braces providing a first group and other end portions providing a second group, a first longitudinal stringer supported by the first group of end portions and a second longitudinal stringer supported by the second group of end portions, a plurality of cover sections supported at their side edges by said stringers, said sections having adjacent end portions disposed on overlapping relation, means for interlocking said sections together to provide a unitary cover for the boat, a cradle support for the boat, and other means for securing the unitary cover to the cradle support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 277,146 Mansfield May 8, 1883 617,571 Harlow Jan. 10, 1899 1,067,660 Kay July 15, 1913 20 2,366,337 Kreuter Jan. 2, 1945 

